These cinnamon swirl muffins are a budget-friendly lunchtime treat

I admit I feel a little smug when they tuck into a dish that has hidden vegetables and think it’s delicious. 

It’s the Irish Mammy equivalent of a gold star for cooking, and I crave that level of validation sometimes.

That’s why once a fortnight at the weekend I strap my apron on, roll up my sleeves, and get working on homemade snacks for the lunchboxes. 

I make enough to last two weeks because I would rather get a break between batch cooking and otherwise, I’d have made a rod for my own back by deciding to batch cook every weekend.

I know that what goes into the lunchbox is hearty and wholesome, and yes, it is also budget friendly. 

While some of their friends could spend as much as €2 for a muffin at the school canteen, the boys can happily tuck into their homemade muffins safe in the knowledge that their pocket

money can be spent elsewhere. 

I have the peace of mind that I’m not going to be hit for more money for school because recently it feels like there’s a hole in my wallet with some of the costs since they went back.

To make firing up the oven work for me I moved the grill rack into the main oven. 

I can now fit 3 trays into my standard oven and still roast vegetables or fruit on the floor underneath the baking trays. 

My baking arsenal includes 2 deep muffin trays (and not bun trays) 2 tray-bake trays, and 2 heavy loaf tins. 

In the space of a few hours, I rotate them all in/out of the oven and cool the contents on the counter before freezing in packages that last for 2 days each. 

All I must do is remember to take the parcels out of the freezer before the kids might be subjected to (shock horror) plain cheese sandwiches. 

This is their idea of their worst nightmare as they are so used to dining like royalty at lunchtime.

Lastly, I make batches of chicken tikka filling. I priced the shop bought version per gram recently and was shocked with the price difference between buying a plastic package or rubbing a whole chicken in spices and roasting it in the oven for sandwiches.

I’ve included a recipe for some very easy pumpkin spice muffins this week that is on my batch cook rotation and you can find plenty of other simple lunchbox treats in the catalogue on the Irish Examiner IE Food catalogue on our website. 

From scones to granola bars and muffins to fruit squares you won’t be stuck for a recipe.

Cinnamon Swirl Muffins

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond 

“…a recipe for some very easy pumpkin spice muffins this week that is on my batch cook rotation…”

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Method

1. Preheat a fan oven to 170oC. Line a muffin tin with muffin cases. In a large bowl, mix the flour and sugar. Using your hands rub the butter into the flour and sugar mixture until you get a breadcrumb like texture.

2. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Crack in 3 eggs and pour in 75ml of milk. Using a fork draw the batter together. No need for a stand mixer for this recipe!

3. Divide the batter into muffin cases. Now that the batter has been mixed and separated into muffin cases, place the separate pumpkin spice ingredients in a small cup of bowl. Mix the contents with a fork until well combined. Put 1 teaspoon of the swirl mixture on top each filled muffin case. Gently swirl with a cocktail stick or fork so that it is loosely mixed into the batter.

4. Bake the muffins at 170 degrees for 35-45 minutes until baked through. Check using a clean skewer. If no batter residue adheres to the skewer, then the muffins are baked. If it does, return the muffins to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes.

5. Optional: 1 tablespoon of crumble mixture placed on each muffin before baking the muffins on top adds another texture and crunch. It’s not obligatory.

6. Once cooled these muffins will freeze for up to 3 months and will keep in a cool, dry sealed container for up to 3-4 days.

Home Truths: The Cost Benefit Analysis

Feeding your family is all about maintaining a delicate balance. Homemakers are some of the best jugglers I know.

While I’ve been extolling the virtues of making homemade lunchbox treats, I understand this is not a choice that suits all families. 

Everything we create in the kitchen comes at a price.

We’re all most familiar with the cost of buying food; it’s that pinch that we feel in our bank balance every time we go to the shops. 

Sometimes we disregard the cost of the process of cooking and that’s the cost of the energy that we use to bake, stew, and heat our food.

Finally, the most important cost and possibly the most expensive element is time. 

If you find that your time is consumed with cooking treats and other vital elements in your life are suffering (like sleep) then it is not worth your while. 

The benefit of cooking homemade lunchbox items is far outweighed with the need to rest. 

I know if I overcommit to cooking, I will be wiped out with tiredness and the rest of the household suffers if I’m not on top of my game. 

Before you start a new project, stop and evaluate if your most valuable asset can afford it.